Here We Go Again
by Morrowyn
Summary: My name is Sunako Nakahara, and I haven't exactly lived up to the expectations of my gender. My family and my friends have all tried to rectify that to no avail. Alas, it's too late now that I'm dead. Not much has changed, really. I'm still me, and my family still has a reputation to uphold. Maybe this time, I'll give being a lady a try. REVAMP Rated T for Language
1. Chapter 1

**I've posted this story once before, but then removed it because it didn't get many views and I honestly had no idea where it was going. Now I have more of a plot for it and have rewritten the first few chapters to suit that. Hope y'all enjoy. **

* * *

Yumichika had noticed something odd. The members of Squad 11 seemed happier, more contented somehow, as if a collective worry had left their shoulders. The barracks were significantly cleaner, too, as if someone had given it a good scrubbing. Something was definitely off.

Rounding a corner, he collided with one of the unseated members, the shorter figure's head bumping his chest rather hard as they fell in a flurry of long dark hair. "Ah~, my hair!" He exclaimed, one hand reaching up to adjust the fallen strands.

"I'm so sorry, Ayasegawa-sempai," said his attacker. "Let me help you."

He looked up, about to spit a retort, when his eyes met hers. The first thing he thought was' _do we even have female members?'_ , the second being '_her hands are rough_,' as she helped him to his feet. Not short but of a slight build, the girl looked up at him through long dark bangs.

"I really am sorry, Ayasegawa-sempai."

He raised a hand, brushing her apology aside. "It's fine, think nothing of it." As the young woman bowed low and continued on her way, Yumichika rubbed at his jaw pensively, already deep in thought.

* * *

After leaving Ayasegawa behind, Sunako Nakahara ducked into an alcove to catch her breath. She'd almost flipped her superior over her shoulder, she's been so surprised by their collision. Placing her hand on Hiroshi's hilt, she continued on her way to the Rukongai where she was supposed to meet Noi and Ranmaru for a bit of "personal time." Tamao normally came, too, but she was on duty at the hospital, her work never ending as a newly seated officer in the Fourth Squad. Ever since their reunion in the Shin'ō Academy, they had actively searched for any others of their group who might have made it to the Soul Society, to no avail.

Sunako snorted quietly as she passed through the gate to the first district of West Rukongai; she wouldn't be surprised if Kyohei had become a Hollow.

"Sunako! Over here!"

Turning her head, she saw Noi running up to her, Ranmaru following at a more leisurely pace. "Hello, Noi, Ranmaru." She bowed politely in greeting.

Noi stopped short, bowing deeply in response. Standing tall, she smiled widely, hooking her arm in Sunako's and leading the way to a Cafe they often frequented on their excursions. "I still can't say I'm used to that," the shorter girl told her dark haired companion, giggling. "Sunako's a proper lady~." She teased.

Ranmaru sighed dramatically beside them. "I know, right? Where was this when we were alive?"

Noi gave an exaggerated pout. "I don't know, Ranmaru, I kind of miss the old Sunako." She released her friend and struck a valiant pose. "Taking down gang bosses and scaring the living daylights out of anyone who messed with Hiroshi!"

Sunako blushed beneath her bangs as Ranmaru chuckled. "Well, she is in Squad 11, Noi. Perhaps the old Sunako isn't as far gone as you think."

Sunako bit her lip, suppressing a relieved smiled.

* * *

After exchanging pleasantries in the cafe, the trio grew suddenly serious. Ranmaru cleared his throat before addressing the two women before him.

"I think I might have found Yuki."

Sunako regarded him sharply. "You think?"

The red head shrugged. "You know I can't be certain until I speak with him directly, but how many boys his age stop traffic to save kittens?"

Noi nodded, "Yes, that definitely sounds like Yuki." The girl sighed wistfully. "If only finding Takenaga were so easy."

Sunako shifted in her seat. "Actually...," she began. "I might have an idea of where he is."

Noi immediately brightened, "Really? Where? Is he alright? Does he remember me? Huh, huh?"

Sunako smiled a bit at her friend's exuberance. "I saw him while visiting the Oda household. My grandmother wants me to make some friends amongst the other noble houses."

Ranmaru made a speculative sound, nodding in consideration. "Yes, my family insisted I do that, as well. I'll drop by the Oda house and see what I can find out about our mutual friend."

Noi pulled both of her companions into a rough embrace, tears of joy in her eyes. "Thank you, thank you! I'll never be able to repay you!"

Just as Sunako was about to return the hug just a Ranmaru had already eagerly done, a cool voice spoke behind them.

"Kasahara, what is this display?"

Noi stiffened in their arms and turned to face her captain. "I apologize, Kuchiki, sir."

If the nobleman was insulted by his subordinate's lack of formality, he didn't show it. Instead, he turned to Ranmaru and Sunako. "You two are the heirs of the Mori and Nakahara families, are you not?"

Noi bristled at her captain's dismissal as Ranmaru nodded. "Yes, Captain. Thank you for taking care of Noi-chi." He added, bowing low to the shorter man. Sunako met Kuchiki's cold gaze unwaveringly, not willing to forgive him for insulting her closest friend. Ranmaru continued. "If you'll excuse us, Captain, we have somewhere else to be."

And with that, they left Noi's captain behind.

After promising again to look into Takenaga's family, Noi left Sunako and Ranmaru to their own devices, heading back to her barracks to finish up some paperwork with her Lieutenant. On their own now, the two former housemates walked along in comfortable silence.

"So," Ranmaru began, placing his hands inside the sleeves of his shihakusho, a complacent smile on his face, "How're you liking the Eleventh? I imagine it's very different from your position in the Twelfth."  
"Hm," Sunako hmmed, throwing back her head as she considered her answer, the evening sun casting a reddish glow against her pale skin. Turning back to Ranmaru, she smiled slightly, and he marveled at how easily smiling came to her only after her death. "Yes, it is different," her smile widened, "They remind me of you guys back when we were alive."

Ranmaru winced, "That bad, huh?"

Sunako chuckled slightly, "Not at all, I kind of missed being a housewife."

Ranmaru smiled as she began humming to herself, a piece of himself dying inside. If only her femininity had surfaced in life. Kyouhei would have been so happy.


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter is still largely the same as the original.**

* * *

Sunako sighed to herself as she stepped into the now familiar Eleventh Squad barracks, the pleasant scent of men hard at work greeting her as she closed the sliding door behind her. The sounds of members training came from the far right, and Sunako hummed contentedly to herself as she pulled Hiroshi from her belt.

"Oi, Nakahara!" Sunako turned, surprised, and bowed in greeting as Ikkaku Madarame approached her.

"Good evening, Madarame-sempai. How may I help you?"

Madarame scowled at her politeness before adopting a more neutral expression, "Yumichika told me you're the one who's been cleaning this place up; is he right?"

Sunako nodded, giving a respectful "Yes, Sempai" despite the sudden nervousness in her gut. It had been hard assimilating to the infamous "Fighter Squad," and she'd never been quite in sync the way all the other members were. It had never occurred to her that they might not want their barracks cleaned, an oversight she now kicked herself mentally over. She couldn't just assert herself like that anymore, she had a reputation to uphold.

Her worries proved for naught when Madarame's stern expression broke into a wide smile. "Awesome! I bet you're the one who leaves food out for the returning patrolmen, too, aren't you?" Before Sunako could nod he had thrown one arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a comradely embrace. "You know," he began in a more subdued tone. "When you first joined I had my doubts, what with you coming in from the Twelfth and all, but now I'm positive you'll fit right in!" Sunako chuckled weakly and only through great effort did not run from his sudden familiarity.

"I~kka~ku~!" Suddenly, Madarame's head jerked at an odd angle, his arm releasing her with his momentum. Behind them was Ayasegawa, his foot still raised from his kick, an angry tick to his brow. "Idiot!" He shouted at his friend's prone form. "You're gonna scare her off!" Turning to Sunako, Ayasegawa's expression changed dramatically. "Don't mind him, he's not exactly the most beautiful person here." Eyeing Sunako shrewdly, he stepped closer, leaning down so their faces were level. "Hmm." Before he could say anything, Madarame jumped onto his feet and put his face uncomfortably close to Ayasegawa's, his expression contorted to demonic extremes.

"You crazy bastard! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Ayasegawa, about to retort, noticed a sparkling from beneath Sunako's fringe. Interest peaked, he came in close, trying to see her eyes. Sunako shrank away, raising Hiroshi as a shield between them.

"Hey!" Madarame shouted at his squadmate. He pulled Sunako toward him, one hand on her waist. "Now you're the one scaring her!"

Ayasegawa leaned forward, "Hey, I just wanna see something-," Ikkaku pulled Sunako back with him, placing a hand on Hozukimaru's hilt. Ayasegawa jumped back, his face suddenly serious. "Are you really going to pull this here? In front of a lady?"

Ikkaku just smiled, "If she's here, then she isn't much of a Lady, now is she?" With a loud exclamation, he drew his blade with great flourish, several small strands of black hair falling to the floor in its wake. Ayasegawa cringed and Ikkaku looked over his shoulder at the woman behind him. Large lavender eyes looked at them both in shock before Sunako shunpoed away.

Ayasegawa hit his bald counterpart over the head, shouting "Idiot! Don't you know a girl's hair is her life?"


	3. Chapter 3

**This is the last of my prewritten chapters, and remains largely the same as it was initially.**

* * *

Sunako grimaced as she shielded her eyes from the sun, the bright light incredibly harsh after years of hiding behind her fringe. Remembering what happened to it, she blushed in embarrassment, glancing around self consciously for either of her sempais, whom she'd been avoiding for several days. Satisfied that she was alone, she sighed in relief, continuing on her way to her secret hideaway. Oh, how joyous a day it had been when she'd discovered it, a perfect little nook in the sewers beneath the Seireitei, just the right size for a 72" TV and her entire horror collection. Now she didn't have to hide her DVDs and posters from her uncle and grandmother. Ah~, such bliss.

Distracted in her excitement, Sunako didn't notice the figure rushing toward her until they collided with great force. She fell to the ground clutching her nose, the nostalgic feeling of a nosebleed throbbing in her forehead. She looked up angrily, only to quell her anger as she recognized Noi, tears running down her face and smearing her eye makeup.

"Su-Sunako~!" Noi launched herself at Sunako, wrapping her arms around her friend's waist. "Sunako~, Take-Take-, Uwaaa~h!" Noi buried her face in Sunako's shihakusho, sobs wracking her body. Sunako sat there, dumbfounded, hands hovering uselessly above her best friend's back.

"Oh my, what is this?" Both girls looked up at Jyuushiro Ukitake, Captain of the Thirteenth Squad. "You two, you are Ranmaru Morii's friends, aren't you?" Noi sat up, sniffling and rubbing at her eyes while Sunako nodded subduedly. "Oh, dear, you're bleeding!" The white haired Captain knelt down and proffered a handkerchief to Sunako while helping Noi to her feet. "Please, won't you come with me? I have a feeling the two of you need some time to talk, and I could use some company." Noi sniffed and Sunako stood, both nodding.

* * *

Sunako inhaled quietly, careful not to breathe through her nose, as her nostrils were clogged with little strips of paper to stop the bleeding. Noi's tears had slowed, although they had yet to stop entirely, and Ranmaru's smiling Captain sat across from them in the booth he'd secured for them at a tea house. Sunako had initially offered to pay for her and Noi's tea, but Ukitake insisted otherwise. Now, having been served, the three fell into a halting conversation, Noi slowly revealing what had caused her breakdown.

"Ran-Ranmaru, he said he talked to Takenaga, and that h-he di-didn't remember us."

Ukitake raised an eyebrow, "Takenaga?"

Noi had redissolved into tears, so Sunako answered in her stead. "Takenaga was a close friend of mine and Noi's boyfriend in life. We have been searching for him for quite some time."

Ukitake's face utterly transformed from calm and composed to gaping in shock. "You still remember your lives?"

Sunako nodded, removing the paper from her nose before speaking, "Yes, Captain."

He raised one silver eyebrow, "Do you know how rare this is?"

Noi came out of her wallowing long enough to dry her face. "Yeah, I didn't remember anything until I met Sunako again. Stupid Ranmaru remembered from before, but Tamao says she didn't until she saw him again." The girl turned her tearstained face to her friend, glaring halfheartedly, "Sunako's remembered from the beginning, though." She sniffed obscenely, "It's all Hiroshi's fault."

Ukitake turned to Sunako, "Hiroshi?"

"My Zanpakuto." She replied simply. "We were close friends in life, and when I came to Soul Society, he followed."

Ukitake raised an eyebrow, "Might I meet him?"

Sunako reached for Hiroshi's hilt at her waist, but before she could pull him from her belt, Noi slammed her fists on the table. "Damnit! That bastard is probably just refusing to acknowledge me again because his family is a bunch of stuck up nobles." She paused in her rant to look at Sunako, "No offense."

"None taken," Sunako replied, laughing, Hiroshi lying forgotten across her lap. Captain Ukitake quickly realized that, if he was to have any hope of speaking to Ms. Nakahara about her odd Zanpakuto, he was going to have to pacify Noi first.

Smiling widely, he asked, "So, tell me, what are some modern pastimes in the living world?"


	4. Chapter 4

**This is where my new plot starts to take off. **

* * *

Noi hummed in delight as she savored her ice cream, an ecstatic smile crossing her face as she scooped a spoonful of her strawberry sherbet into her mouth. "Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" She turned to address her friend, walking backwards as she spoke. "Man, it sure was nice of Captain Ukitake to let us use his private senkaimon just to get some ice cream."

Sunako didn't answer, her gaze locked on her green tea ice cream. Without hesitation, she tossed the untouched desert into one of the shop's outside trash bins. Noi sighed, knowing full well that her friend had been reminded of Kyohei yet again. Of all their friends, he was the only one they'd had no luck finding. _You'd think a guy with a face like _that_ would be pretty easy to get some information on, but noooo_, Noi thought vindictively. She wouldn't be surprised if he'd turned into a Hollow. She snorted at the thought. Wouldn't it be ironic if he and Sunako became as much opposites in death as they'd been in life?

Suddenly, a harsh pressure hit the girls, and Noi dropped her ice cream. Sunako came up beside her, her eyes hard.

"A Hollow," the taller girl said. "And a big one, too."

"Shouldn't the resident shinigami take care of it?" Noi asked, already mourning her snack as it melted into the pavement.

Sunako shook her head. "We can't take that chance." She looked around, almost frantic, and Noi lamented her friend's intrinsic need to take care of everyone and anyone. It was admirable, yes, but sometimes it was a little overbearing. Still, it was part of what made Sunako Sunako, and, in all honesty, Noi wouldn't change it for the world. The dark haired woman grabbed her arm, dragging her off in the direction of the Hollow's reiatsu.

"What about our Gigais?" Noi asked, resigned to her fate.

"This is Yahiko's turf," Sunako replied instantly. "If we can find some of his men or, better yet, Yahiko, himself, we can leave them there."

Noi pulled her friend to a halt. "Sunako, it's been years. There's no way he's still around."

Sunako's face fell, only to return to its initial determination. "Even if he's not, there's bound to be someone who remembers me."

"And if there isn't?" Noi asked as they resumed walking.

"Then my reputation had better precede me."

The Hollow's reiatsu flared, and Noi gasped. "It just ate someone!"

Sunako's only reply was a clenched jaw.

"Sunako, forget about the Gigai! We need to stop that thing!"

Sunako said nothing, her pace quickening. Noi swallowed nervously, seriously hoping her friend found whatever she was looking for before the Hollow caused too much damage.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks to Hiken08 for the follow.**

* * *

Sunako grimaced internally as she sought out any sign that Yahiko's gang was in the area, the lack there of frustrating her to no end. Their Gigais were high quality, and she'd feel terrible leaving them just anywhere, but it was beginning to seem inevitable. Sighing, she pulled Noi into a side alley, and quickly shed her shell, propping it against the wall in the most inconspicuous way possible. Noi did the same, her pretty face marred by a frown.

"I hope there's only one," she said, nervously pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "I've never fought anything on my own before."

Neither had Sunako, but she wasn't going to admit that and shatter her friend's already fragile confidence.

"We'll be fine," she said, placing a hand on Hiroshi's hilt. "C'mon, let's get this over with."

They launched themselves into the air, both using shunpo to accelerate their movement. The closer they got to the Hollow's reiatsu, the more obvious it became that it wasn't just one Hollow, but many, though the exact number was still undeterminable. She could sense no other shinigami in the area, and the notion of fighting more than one Hollow at a time made her stomach roil.

_It's alright_, a deep voice said from within her mind. _I'm here_.

_Thanks, Hiroshi._ She replied. Confidence restored, she lead the way down to the street, several people running from what would no doubt be brushed off as an earthquake by the media. The Hollows, of which there were three, stood clustered together, surrounding what looked like Madarame and Ayasegawa.

Impossible.

Whoever they were, they were in school uniforms and seemed to be at least _aware_ of the Hollows around them, even if they couldn't see them.

The one who bore a strong resemblance to Madarame Ikkaku glanced in their direction, his eyes widening in recognition.

"Oi, Nakahara! What the hell are you doing here?"

Shit. No wonder it had been so easy to avoid them, they hadn't even been in the Soul Society.

"It doesn't matter, Ikkaku!" Ayasegawa shouted. "Nakahara, do you think you two can draw one of these guys off? We're trying to keep collateral damage to a minimum."

"We're on it!" She turned to Noi, who nodded. They shunpoed in opposite directions, both instinctively going for the same Hollow. Sunako drew Hiroshi from his sheath, flipping the reverse blade sword for combat. She launched herself at the Hollow, plunging her weapon into the beast's green skin. As it turned, Noi struck it across its mask, the black blood from its wounds splashing them both.

"You bitch!" It yelled, clutching its face. "I'll get you!"

It flung its arm out at them, the sweeping motion creating a vacuum of air that rushed towards them like a blade. Sunako quickly positioned herself in front of Noi, disrupting the air pattern and giving her friend the chance to leap into the air and perform another attack. She grunted as the air-blade cut her arms, but the pain was short lived, as Hiroshi healed the injuries even before they formed. Noi had managed to get in another hit, and the Hollow was bleeding badly from its shoulder. A quick glance assured Sunako that her superiors were managing, somehow, to defeat their respective Hollows despite their restrictive Gigais.

Perhaps they required help because they insisted on staying in them?

"Sunako, look out!"

She brought her attention back to her opponent, just barely catching its arm before it collided with the side of her head. As it was, her position was precarious, the sheer force of the blow sliding her back. She grit her teeth against the exertion as she pushed against the comically large hand, Hiroshi's blade whining beneath the pressure. Acting on instinct, Sunako fell to her knees, leaning back so that the back of her head hit the asphalt. The Hollow, propelled by its own momentum, flew over her, catching the corner of an awning as it tried to slow itself. People inside the building screamed, and Sunako cursed to herself as she sprang back onto her feet in one practiced motion. The beast turned its attention to her again, a wild look in its sunken eyes.

"You wench!" It cried as it reached for her again, only to have its hand cut off at the wrist.

"I don't think so~!" Noi shouted teasingly, a carefully lopsided smile on her face. The monster yelled in pain and frustration, reaching over its prone arm in a vain attempt to reach Noi. Sunako took the opportunity to throw it off balance, kicking its legs out from under it. Then, in unison, she and Noi drove their blades into its eyes, slicing its mask clean in two, killing it.**  
**


	6. Chapter 6

Madarame Ikkaku whistled in appreciation as the Hollow the girls had been facing fell dead at their feet.

"Impressive," he said to himself, and Yumichika scoffed beside him.

"What did you expect? She is in our Squad, after all."

"Yeah, but the other one isn't." He snapped back before hailing the other two shinigami. "Hey, that was was impressive teamwork back there."

The shorter of the two blushed beneath the blood on her face. She tucked a nonexistent strand of hair behind her ear. "You think so?"

His smile widened; so she was the shy type. "Damn right I do. I've never seen you around before, what Squad are you in?"

Her blush intensified. "S-sixth."

Adorable.

Nakahara took a step between them. "Madarame-sempai, this is my friend Kasahara Noi. Noi, these are the Third and Fifth Seats of the Eleventh Squad, Madarame Ikkaku and Ayasegawa Yumichika."

The girl's jaw dropped in awe, and Ikkaku resisted the urge to chuckle. "What's the matter, never seen a seated officer before?"

Kasahara sniffed indignantly, "Of course, I have. As a matter of fact, one of our closest friends is Seventh Seat in the Fourth Squad."

"Is that so?" The defiant glare that replaced her blush was even cuter.

"Ahem, so," Yumichika interjected, stepping into the conversation just as Nakahara had. "That's an interesting blade you have there, Nakahara."

Ikkaku looked down at his teammate's sword and found he quite agreed.

"What the fuck? Why's it backwards?"

The tall girl raised her weapon so that it was level with her shoulders, presenting it to them on flattened palms.

"Hiroshi is a reverse blade sword," she explained. "I find it a useful design for when force is necessary, but the target is needed alive."

Ikkaku made a sound of dismissal in the back of his throat, motioning for her to put her zanpakuto away. "You're telling me that weakass blade has a name?"

She cocked her head, "Is there a reason why he shouldn't?"

He shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Nah, it's just rare for an unranked shinigami to get that far with their zanpakuto."

Kasahara's fine brows creased. "Really? Then why...?" She was cut off as a group of motorcyclists tore through across the street, their uniform formation and matching jackets making it obvious that they were a bunch of punk kids. Ikkaku straightened to his full height as the wannabe gangsters surrounded them. One guy, who he assumed was the leader, brought his bike dangerously close. Turning off the ignition, he took off his helmet, revealing headful of bleached blond hair. The kid looked from Ikkaku to Yumichika, his dark gaze steady. Then he jerked his head back toward his gang.

"These guys with you?"

Ikkaku raised an eyebrow before looking back to where he'd indicated. There, held by two other bikers, were Nakahara and Kasahara's Gigais.

He turned his attention back to the leader. "Who wants to know?"

"It's fine, sempai." Nakahara interrupted, already back inside her Gigai. "I know them."

The kid who'd been holding her body jumped as she spoke, his friends laughing at him. Their leader bowed a full bow of respect, his eyes closed. "It's nice to have you back, Lady Boss."

The fuck?

"Oi, Nakahara," Ikkaku interrupted, draping one arm around her slim shoulders. "You know these brats?"

The blond kid straightened, glaring fiercely, but Nakahara answered before he could retort.

"Yes, we were friends back when I was alive."

He looked at her sharply, "But you're still alive, right?" He asked, prompting her to fix her mistake.

She smiled up at him, pinching the back of his hand where it rested over her chest as she walked away from him. "It's fine, sempai. They knew I wouldn't stay dead long."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" He demanded, cradling his hand.

"It means," Kasahara answered sarcastically. "That the Undead Boss had become just that; undead."

Yumichika scratched at his chin. "That's _some_ reputation you had there."

Nakahara smiled at him over her shoulder. "I know."


	7. Chapter 7

The relief that Sunako felt at seeing Yahiko's brother was somewhat tempered by his absence.

"Hijiki, how've you been?" She asked, slowly adopting the aloof attitude she'd worn before her death.

The teenager scowled. "Not too good. Yahiko got offed a couple months ago, and half the gang left for greener pastures."

"Tch," she stuck her thumb in her mouth, gnawing at it. "That'll put you back for years."

Hijiki sighed, rubbing the back of his neck in a motion reminiscent of his brother. "Yeah, but we've managed to keep the bigger gangs off our turf. It's been hard, what, with you and the Big Boss gone. The old alliances have been holding together, but they're getting weaker everyday, and the Yakuza's been running amok without you there to bully them into submission." He deflated visibly, the stressed leader replaced by the little boy she'd left behind. "You're dead right?"

She snorted, "Yep; dead and buried."

Hijiki's expression became hopeful. "If you see my brother, hit him for me, yeah?"

Sunako smiled, placing a hand on the shorter boy's shoulder. "Of course."

"Ahem," they turned as Madarame stepped up to them. "Not that this reunion isn't touching, but what the fuck are you doing here?"

Sunako almost cringed as her superior yelled in her face, but her pride held her features still. She held up a hand between them.

"Calm down, sempai. There's nothing to be upset about."

"Upset? I'm not upset! Who sent you here? Was it the Captain?"

Ah, so he was insecure.

She turned to him, her face carefully kind and unassuming. "Captain Ukitake of the Thirteenth Squad allowed us use of his personal senkaimon."

The taller man straightened from his typical slouch. "Ukitake? What for?"

She bowed respectfully from her waist. "Recreation, sir."

His eyebrows scrunched. "So, you came and fought a Hollow, even though you were on vacation?"

She cocked her head, honestly confused. "Does it matter what I'm doing at the time? A Hollow is a Hollow, and it won't wait until I'm done to start killing people."

A slow smile spread across his face, and he brought it uncomfortably close to hers. Then he laughed, a full bellied laugh that had him throwing back his head.

"That's my girl!" He turned to Hijiki, who was shifting uncomfortably. "Sorry, kid, but we've gotta take your boss home, now."

"I'll tell your brother you're thinking of him." Sunako promised as she was dragged away by the arm, the Third Seat's grip stronger than she'd expected.

Ayasegawa and Noi followed closely, engaged in their own conversation as Madarame lead the way down alleys and up streets. Sunako stumbled several times, but her clean shaven companion didn't slow - of which she as privately glad, as it showed he thought she was stronger than the average woman.

"Sempai," she began tentatively, her voice specifically soft. "Where are we going?"

"There's this old guy with a senkaimon in his basement," he replied, rounding a bend. "You need to get back before the Captain finds out you left without his permission." He grimaced. "I can't speak for the Squad Six girl, but I know Zaraki won't like it."

That was certainly an understatement. He would probably squish her. With his reiatsu.

"You know, we don't have to go the the basement man."

Madarame laughed before he turned to look at Noi. "Basement man! I like that!" He wiped a genuine tear from the corner of his eye. "But he really does have the only senkaimon in town so-."

"No, he doesn't." Noi interrupted.

"What do you mean?" Ayasegawa asked, and Noi preened under the sudden attention, obviously enjoying knowing something her superiors didn't.

"Sunako's nobility." She said matter-of-factly. "So she has her own."

All eyes fell on her, and Sunako sighed. "Noi..."

"What? You are."

Sunako silently cursed her friend's need to be useful even at the expense of others. Although, it wasn't /really/ at her expense; all she was losing was the respect of her teammates, nothing big.

Madarame's grip tightened on her arm, and Sunako braced herself for an onslaught.

"Why didn't you say so?" He demanded. "That would've been useful fifteen minutes ago! Geeze!" He yanked her down the sidewalk, grumbling to himself.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks, Xanaelle, for the Fave.**

* * *

Sunako sighed, rubbing the back of her neck as she sat back on her heels, the floor before her sparkling cleanly. She'd spent the last few days thanking her lucky stars that her Captain didn't really know she existed, as she'd come back to find him tromping about the barracks as if she hadn't cleaned it just that morning. It wasn't just him, though. All of the men in the squad did it, leaving mud trails and wrappers up and down the halls, tossing dirty dishes into the sink without so much as a rinse, and leaving soiled linens out in the courtyard to be cleansed by the sun and rain.

Ah~, such bliss!

At first, Sunako had balked at the idea of joining the Eleventh Squad, as its tendency for violence would no doubt be a danger to the careful facade she'd maintained for the three years she was in the Twelfth (not that she'd done a very good job of it there, either, with all those "willing" test subjects), but the allure of having a houseful of boys again had proved too much for her weary soul to resist. Before she knew it she had fallen back into her old routine, doing the laundry and fixing dinner, mopping the floors while the rice steamed. Oh, how she'd missed it!

Someone knocked on the doorframe, catching her attention.

"Oi, Nakahara," Aramaki Makizo called, his haggard face set into an exaggerated sneer. "Some punk from the Thirteenth is here to see ya, brought his Captain and everything."

Sunako wiped the back of her hand across her forehead. "I'll be right there. Thank you, sempai."

"Tch," he replied, walking away in the strange, bow-legged fashion young gangsters adopted to make themselves look tough.

Placing her wash rag in its bucket, she left the training hall and headed toward the entrance of the barracks, nodding greetings to a few of the men she passed. Why on earth could Ranmaru have come? He made no secret of his dislike for the Eleventh Squad, despite knowing just how much it suited his old friend, so there really was no conceivable reason for him to visit Sunako there when he could have arranged a meeting elsewhere. Unless...

She doubled her pace.

Soon, she was almost at the gates (Speaking of which, she had yet to find the time to repaint the sign out front.) and the sound of loud voices met her ears. Rounding the final bend, she stopped dead in her tracks. There, in the courtyard, stood Ranmaru, Captains Ukitake and Zaraki, and Yuki.

He'd changed so much, the most startling difference just how thin he was (This would be rectified as soon as she got her hands on him!). He also stood with less confidence, and his boyish features had hardened some, in the way only life in the Rukongai could manage. His brown eyes were downcast, looking at everything except the people around him. Then, they fell on her, and suddenly the stranger was gone and he was the same boy who sat crying in her room despite his fear of all things morbid. The tears welled in his eyes and he ran, breaking Ranmaru's grip on his shoulder and nearly bumping into Zaraki, straight into Sunako's open arms.

"Sunako," he cried into her shihakusho. "I missed you so much!"

"Easy, Yuki," she crooned, cradling him against her chest. "I missed you, too."

"You see, Captain Zaraki? I told you she was a member of your Squad."

Sunako looked up to see a gloating expression on Ranmaru's pretty face - which wouldn't be pretty for much longer if he kept directing it at her Captain - and Ukitake's usual benign smile.

"Tch. Woman!" Zaraki yelled over his shoulder, not deigning to turn around and speak to her directly.

"Yes, Captain?"

"How long you been here?"

Sunako cocked her head as she ran her fingers through Yuki's feathersoft hair. "About six months, Captain."

"Tch." He turned then, a scowl on his face. "And you're a noble?"

Sunako hesitated. "Yes, Captain."

"Keh. Are you strong?"

He dared doubt it? "I believe that is subjective, Captain."

A dangerous light appeared in his eye, and Sunako instantly regretted her cheek. While she would gladly fight him any place or time, she refused to put her own personal gratification before Yuki's wellbeing.

Instead of the challenge she expected, Captain Zaraki threw back his head and laughed. Loudly.

"Welcome aboard," he said, smiling viciously.

Sunako bowed her head politely. "Thank you, Captain. Ah," she added as he turned to go. "May I have permission to take Yuki home, sir?"

For a moment she thought he might say no, but he waved her off, giving unvoiced assent with his smile still in place.

"Thank you, Captain."

Ranmaru smiled to himself as he watched his friends walk away. He'd been lucky to find Yuki when he did; the poor boy was being cornered by someone twice his size. Sunako would have him back to his old self in no time.

Beside him, his Captain sighed.

"Is there something the matter?" He asked.

"I had hoped to speak with her about her zanpakuto." Ukitake replied, his kind face marred by a frown of disappointment.

"Hiroshi?" Ranmaru asked, surprised. "Why?"

"He became a zanpakuto specifically because he knew her, am I right? That is _not_ how zanpakutos function."

Ranmaru kept silent, not quite willing to tell his Captain everything. Neither of them noticed the sparkling pair of eyes watching them from the roof.


	9. Chapter 9

Ikkaku scowled to himself, brushing off the piteous looks and voiced condolences of his teammates as he neared the mess hall.

_What the hell?_ He sneered. _It's just cleaning duty._

Entering the large, open air room, he looked around in confusion. The mess from that morning's breakfast was gone, and all the broken furniture had been replaced. The floor was clean and free of scuff marks, and the kitchen counter had been wiped down until it shone.

How the hell had this happened in under half an hour?

More importantly, wasn't that _his_ job?

"Ah! Madarame-sempai!" He turned, startled, to see Nakahara emerging from a closet with a pile of neatly folded, _c__lean_ towels. "Can I help you with something?"

"Uh, yeah," he began uncertainly. "I have cleaning duty, but..."

A wide smile lit her features. "Really? Oh, I'm so glad! It's been a while since I had any help."

What?

_That's right, she's been keeping this place habitable._

"Well, you'll have me for two weeks," he said with minimal pride. "Just give me a broom and tell me where to go."

She laughed, shaking her head. "Oh, no. The brooms don't come in until later. Come, I'll give you a schedule."

* * *

Ikkaku stood stiffly, several vertebrae cracking obscenely as he stretched. Beside him knelt Nakahara, her sleeves and pant legs rolled up, exposing pale skin to the light. She wiped the sweat from her brow.

"That was fun, don't you agree, sempai?"

Fun? The bitch thought running up and down to halls doing shōji was fun?

"We've made amazing time," she continued. "At this rate, we'll have a whole hour to ourselves before we have to worry about lunch."

"Woah, woah, woah!" Ikkaku exclaimed, holding a hand up in defense. "I have _cleaning_ duty, not cooking duty. I ain't cooking for these bastards!"

Nakahara smiled at him, "Oh, of course, not. I only meant that we have some extra time, is all." She cocked her head, her brows furrowed as she did lightning fast calculations in her head. "The way I see it, you should have a good two hours' break, _if_ you include lunch."

Hell yeah, he included lunch! One morning with this woman and _already_ his muscled screamed. Usually only his pride was hurt when he ended up on cleaning duty, and this little female did it everyday.

_Holy shit, how strong is this chick?_

"Tell you what," she said, standing. "I'll make you something special for lunch, as thanks for your help."

"Oh, no, you don't have to do that." It'd be nice, though.

Her expression grew frantic. "Oh, please, I insist. Most of the people assigned cleaning duty leave halfway through the laundry. You're the first one to stick around so long."

Seriously? Well, in that case.

"Very well, I accept."

She jumped in sudden joy, clasping his hands between her own. "Yes! Please, name anything you want, anything at all!"

Anything, huh?

* * *

"Oi, Ikkaku, what's with the special treatment?"

He grinned impishly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The taller shinigami scowled, "Don't play dumb! Why the fuck do you get okonomiyaki?"

Ikkaku slurped loudly, "I don't know what you mean."

The unranked man growled loudly, drawing the attention of the men around them. Then he marched away toward the kitchen, his grumbling audible from across the room.

"Oi, bitch! Why're you giving Ikkaku special meals!"

Ikkaku couldn't hear Nakahara's answer, but the man's face turned purple with rage. As he opened his mouth to yell, a glittering cleaver rushed past his head, embedding itself in the wood of the wall behind him. The big man paled and bowed a hasty apology, making Ikkaku laugh uproariously.

Sunako was one tough bitch.


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks, coldstraw, for the follow.**

**And special thanks to 4fireking, for always reviewing.**

* * *

Sunako sighed contentedly as the night breeze brushed lightly against her face. She enjoyed the evenings at the barracks, the sounds of revelry pleasing when compared to the silence of home.

_Yuki's there now,_ Hiroshi reminded her. _It's not half bad._

True, with Yuki in the compound there was at least a sign of life, the sound of feet pounding on the floor and movies being played late into the night. It was nice to have a boy in the house again, even if she couldn't see him as often as she wanted to.

_Why not? Kuchiki goes home to the compound every night._

Sunako scowled.

"What's with that face?"

She looked over her shoulder at Madarame as he came to stand beside her, the moonlight shining off his shaved head.

"Hiroshi's being mean," she pouted, and he laughed.

"That's right, you know his name. So what rank do you hold?"

"I don't." She answered frankly, and he raised one thin eyebrow at her.

"Wait, are you serious?" She nodded, confused. "Fuck, bitch, you've got to be kidding me."

Her eyes widened at his sudden vulgarity - even though most members of the Eleventh used similar language - and he had the decency to look ashamed.

"I mean, why not? You're obviously strong."

She cocked her head, remembering her private oath to never turn into Captain Kuchiki.

Pfft, Kuchiki.

"I never really thought about it," she answered, ignoring Hiroshi's resigned sigh. Madarame chuckled to himself.

"Well, you should. You give most of these guys a run for their money, anyway." She snorted. "It's true! You scared the shit outta that one guy!"

She smiled at the memory. "Yes, well, I typically use the time when you're all gathered to clean up your rooms." Madarame looked at her incredulously, and she held up her hands in defense. "I don't do anything major! I just, sorta, clean around things."

"Yeah, well, stay outta my room! And fight, next time! You'll rank for sure."

She hummed in agreement, dreading the next ranking matches.

"Next!"

Sunako fidgeted with her hakama as another man stood and battled the barely panting seventh seat, a tall, brutish man who was easily overlooked in the crowd of the Eleventh Squad.

Soon, it would be her turn.

She'd already resolved not to draw Hiroshi unless strictly necessary - he frowned on being used on those he deemed 'less than worthy' - and dreaded fighting anyone she knew. Certainly, she was strong, but using that strength would no doubt give her a reputation a woman in her position should not have. She shouldn't have listened to Madarame.

"Next!" She jumped as one of her squadmates collapsed beside her in a broken heap. Looking up, she found the bestial seventh seat sneering down at her. "Well, little girl? You gonna fight?"

She stood as calmly as she could, no longer willing to let someone so low get a rise out of her. She positioned herself across from him, bowing. He scoffed as she set herself into a hand to hand stance.

"What's the matter, girly? Your zanpakuto mad at ya?"

She didn't respond, her face stoic despite the growing tick in her jaw. Seeing her lack of reaction, her superior scowled and placed a hand on the hilt of his sword, eyes warily searching for any sign of her intent.

The first few minutes of their fight was waiting.

In the end, Sunako's patience proved more than her opponent could bear, and he finally drew his zanpakuto, holding it above his head as he charged her. Needless to say, she stepped to one side, letting him pass her before she planted her foot against his lower back, sending him sprawling.


	11. Chapter 11

Ikkaku guffawed at the Seventh Seat's unceremonious defeat. Sunako straightened and bowed, ever the polite one. Beside him, Yumichika chuckled wryly, an eager light in his eyes.

"Say, Ikkaku, you never told me little Nakahara was so strong."

"What makes you think I knew?" He replied, a sly smile crossing his face.

Yumichika laughed lightly. "Why, because you two have been so _close_ lately."

Ikkaku snorted in derision. "Yeah, because helping Sunako clean counts as quality time."

"Ho," his friend pressed his face close to his own. "So it's Sunako, now?"

Ikkaku's face grew hot as he pushed Yumichika away. "S-shut up! It's your turn!"

Indeed, Sunako had summarily downed the sixth seat with the same ease she had the seventh, and she was now waiting for her next opponent, her expression polite, if hesitant.

Yumichika stood gracefully, a ready smile on his face. "Guess I'm next!"

_That's what I said you dumbass!_

The flamboyant fifth seat drew his sword before taking his stance, his tone conversational as he addressed her.

"Won't you use Hiroshi against me? I'm curious about how well you wield him."

Bull.

Sunako seemed to consider it before nodding, her stance changing to one where her left hand gripped her sheath and her right hovered over Hiroshi's hilt. Ikkaku raised a brow; he'd never seen that fighting style before.

Beside him, the Captain stirred, his interest peaked. Even if she lost this fight, her new position had placed her right in Kenpachi's view, and there was no escaping it - unless she fought him.

_Girl, you're in for it now._

Both combatants stood still for a moment, then Yumichika struck, sparks flying as their blades collided. Murmurs rose amongst the seated men, and even the Captain gave a grin of approval.

They hadn't even seen her draw her sword.

The strength behind her draw drove Yumichika back several steps, and she kept her left hand at her hip. The taller man smiled, regaining ground and pushing her sword down with his own. Her expression didn't change as he drove her down, and Ikkaku's eyes widened as he recognized her plan of action.

That sly bitch.

Without warning, she dropped herself down, just as she had against the Hollow in the human world, sending Yumichika forward. Catching herself with her free hand, Sunako swung her legs out and into the Fifth Seat's, knocking him even further off balance, and, wrapping her right leg around his hip, she turned him over onto his back and pressed the sharpened back of her blade against the hollow of his throat, her other hand on his shoulder, holding him down.

The room was so silent it was almost painful.

Then, Yumichika pushed her off of him, his face contorted with anger.

"You animal-woman! You've cut my beautiful face!"

He raised his sword against her, his eyes comically wide, and she sighed heavily. Ikkaku grinned as she dodged every one of Yumichika's strikes, his skill replaced by his anger. The men watching all began to chuckle at their superior's antics, but silenced when their Captain stood.

"My turn-."

"Well, looks like we have a Fourth Seat, now, guys!" Ikkaku shouted, interrupting his Captain and wrapping his arm around Sunako's shoulders. The big man scoffed, but the sound was almost lost beneath the whoops and catcalls of the Squad. Ikkaku's smiled grew nervous, and he hoped that the Captain would leave the girl alone.

She may be strong, but she wasn't _t__hat_ strong.


	12. Chapter 12

**This chapter is really friggin' long.**

* * *

Sunako frowned at Ayasegawa, who fidgeted under her glare.

"So, you see, Nakahara-san," he continued. "We could really use the help-."

"Sunako." He blinked in surprise and she stood, sighing. "Call me Sunako."

"Alright, then. _Sunako_, we would greatly appreciate it if you helped us with the paperwork."

She sighed angrily, and Yumichika held up his hands placatingly. "Isn't that the Captain's job?"

"Well," he sniffed, placing a hand against the over sized bandage on his face. "I'm crippled so you, as the Fourth Seat, should pick up the slack."

_I didn't even cut you, you weakling._

Inhaling heavily, she quickly ran her schedule through her mind, reallocating certain things to compensate for her deviation. "Fine," She said at long last, "but I can only spare two hours."

Ayasegawa grumbled, nodding as he lead to way to the office.

* * *

Noi smiled to herself as she skipped down the street, the sun's light warming her face. It was a wonderful day, not a cloud in the sky. An ideal day to spend with Sunako

Approaching the Eleventh Division's gates, she noticed something strange. A man was pacing back and forth in front of the barracks, his shihakusho covered by a white lab coat. He seemed familiar.

Oh, yeah! "Akon!" She called out to the Twelfth Division's Third Seat. "How are you?"

The taller man froze when he saw her, his expression almost comical. "Kasahara, you're here to see Sunako?"

Duh. "Yep!" She answered cheerfully. "And you?"

He sighed, hanging his head just the right way so that the sun cast shadows with his horns. "I was considering it, but this Squad is filled with brutes. They'll all jump me the moment they figure out I'm from Twelfth."

True. "Did you want me to go get her? I'm sure she'd love to have some intelligent company, for once."

He snorted, straightening ever so slightly in pride. "As much as I'm sure you're right, I need to get back. I only came to drop this off." He pulled a small, carefully wrapped package from the sleeve of his kosode. "Would you mind-."

"Of course!" She took it from him, smiling widely as she rushed past him into the Eleventh Squad barracks, waving to him as he shook his head woefully and left. Once she found herself in the main courtyard, she stopped to think. _Now, if I was Sunako, where would I be?_

She rushed over to the training yard, hoping to find her friend raking the sand there, but it was empty except for a few broad faced men.

She cocked her head, confused. "That's weird..."

"What is?"

She leapt into the air with a yelp, turning to face Madarame Ikkaku, his eyes wide at her outburst.

"Jesus, man; you scared me!"

He held up his hands, "Woah, calm down! What're you doing here, anyway? Aren't you in Sixth?"

He remembered! "Yeah, but I came to visit Sunako. I haven't seen her in a while, do you know where she is?"

His expression grew pensive. "Well, normally she's cleaning the courtyards right around now, but I don't remember seeing her out here."

"Exactly!" Noi exclaimed, catching him by surprise again. "It's not like Sunako to skip something when cleaning; she has a very rigid schedule, you know."

He snorted, "Oh, believe me, I know. Lemme check with Yumichika. He said he was gonna ask her about something this morning."

"Kay!" She saluted him and followed closely as he lead the way to the offices.

"Oi, Yumichika!" He shouted, sliding the door open with his foot. "Y'know where Sunako is?" He trailed off, the woman in question looking up from her paperwork to regard him oddly.

"You needed me, sempai?"

"Sunako!" Noi dashed into the room, throwing herself into her best friend's back. "Why are you here?"

"I'm doing paper work."

"I can see that," Noi pouted. "But why~?"

"Because she's a seated officer now, Noi-chi." Noi turned, her arms still around Sunako's neck, and saw Yumichika sitting on the edge of one of the other desks, his attention on his nails as he filed them. "She has responsibilities."

Noi turned back to Sunako. "You're seated?" At her friend's nod, her pout grew. "Aww, no fair. Now I'm the only one without a Seat."

"Yuki isn't even a shinigami." Sunako responded, setting one paper aside and moving on to the next.

"Yuki doesn't count. Besides," she laid her cheek on Sunako's head. "I can't believe they're making you do this on your birthday."

A loud _crack_ was heard in the room, followed closely by the sound of Yumichika's file hitting the ground. "Today's...your birthday?"

Sunako sighed. "I suppose so. It slipped my mind completely."

Noi gasped dramatically, finally letting go of the other woman. "Egads, woman! How can you forget the most important of days! Luckily for you, your boyfriend always remembers. Here." She handed Sunako the small gift Akon had gotten for her, pulling a chair from one of the vacant desks to sit and watch her open it.

For a moment the dark haired woman simply stared at the wrapped box in her hand, her expression blank.

_Ah_, Noi thought, laughing to herself. _She forgot she had a boyfriend again__._

She edged closer eagerly as recognition lit in Sunako's lavender eyes, watching as she unwrapped her gift. Inside the box was a pair of matching wooden bead bracelets, one of the beads on each stylized into tiny decorative skulls.

Akon _so_ knew what Sunako liked.

"What are you waiting for?" Yumichika squealed. "Put them on!"

"Are you stupid?" Noi admonished. "These are from the _Twelfth_. There's no telling what kind of chaos they might cause if she puts them on without knowing exactly what they are."

"They're subjugation beads."

Noi raised an eyebrow in appreciation. "Nice, must've taken him forever to finish them."

"The hell is all this?"

Everyone turned to see the Captain walk in, his Lieutenant on his shoulder. Noi froze at the sight of him. It was no wonder Sunako spoke of him with respect, the guy was _huge_! Probably around the same size as her dad.

Smiling widely, Noi stood and bowed politely. "Good afternoon, Captain. I'm Kasahara Noi, of the Sixth Division."

He grunted. "And why are you in my office?"

Noi straightened, her hair falling perfectly (Nailed it!). "I came to tell Sunako 'Happy Birthday'!"

The little girl on his back gasped. "Sadako-san! It's your birthday?"

_Sadako? Damn, that kid is sharp!_

Sunako shrugged. "Apparently." She closed the box and put it in her pocket, gathering the wrapping paper and tossing it into a nearby trash bin.

"Kenny! We need to take Sadako for some candy!" Lieutenant Kusajishi shouted, hitting Captain Zaraki repeatedly. "Birthdays mean candy, that's what you said!"

Despite his scowl, it was hard to see the Captain as intimidating after that.


	13. Chapter 13

**Can I plz has Review? Pretty plz with a chapter on top?**

**・㉨・**

* * *

Kenpachi growled to himself as he watched Yachiru drag the woman into another candy shop, extolling the quality of the sweets sold within. Somehow, the little tyke had convinced him that it was a good idea to take his newly promoted Fourth Seat out for her birthday, and had even run the woman ragged after she'd said no.

Not many could deny Yachiru.

And now they were out in the first District of Rukongai, browsing candy stores. He had to hand it to her, the woman was taking it well. He'd been a little surprised to learn there was a female in his squad, even more that she'd been transferred from Twelfth, but apparently she'd been earning her keep. All of his men said they enjoyed her presence, and she could obviously hold her own in a one on one fight.

Just the thought of her fight with Yumichika had him smiling. The girl probably wouldn't have even drawn her sword against the Fifth Seat if he hadn't asked for it, and she would've taken him down just as easily. She was quiet, and those were always the dangerous ones. They were underestimated too often.

The girls came out of the store with another bag, again relatively small, for Yachiru, anyway. The woman must've convinced her not to spend as much as she usually did.

Shit, she was doing him favors already.

They came to stand beside him, the dark haired female bowing her head politely as Yachiru scampered onto his back.

Keh.

A group of kids ran past them, one of them bumping into the woman and yelling an apology over his shoulder. The woman's expression didn't change as she raised one hand and clenched it into a fist, the boy falling with a cry of pain. Kenpachi raised an eyebrow, watching as she made her way to where the boy sat confused on the ground, crouching next to him as she spoke. She held out a hand and the kid reluctantly handed her back her coinpurse, sitting still as she pulled a bracelet from his wrist.

After helping the boy up and sending him on his way, she came back to Kenpachi's side, a small smile on her face.

"How'd you do that, Sadako-san?" Yachiru asked, amazed. Privately, Kenpachi wondered the same thing.

"These are subjugation bracelets," she answered, showing them the piece of jewelry on her wrist. "When two people wear matching sets, the one with the stronger reiatsu has the power to subdue their weaker counterpart. That boy took one and left me with the other, so I was able to stop him before he got too far."

Shit, she was _smart_.

A loud commotion drew his attention away from the girls as they continued their idle chatter. A large man was shouting at a shop owner, a young woman cowering beside him. His voice carried an air of authority, and he towered head and shoulders over the awning of the shop. Kenpachi felt himself grin; this should prove to be fun.

"Hey," he called out, stepping up to the man. "What seems to be the problem?"

The big guy turned to him, and Kenpachi was surprised to see that he was actually taller than him. He was a rather nondescript fellow, with a narrow face and furrowed brows. His most distinguishing feature were his eyes, which were a familiar shade of purple.

"Oh, good," he said. "A shinigami. Perhaps _now_ we shall see justice done."

The shopkeeper paled considerably. "No, please, just take the fruit! I don't need any trouble."

"Then you shouldn't use a rigged scale for business." The giant said matter-of-factly. "Am I right, Captain?"

Ugh, he was one of _those_. "Keh, doesn't matter to me."

The man's expression changed so dramatically, going from stoic confidence to a blubbering mess.

"But, but-."

"Perhaps, Captain," the woman said, laying a small hand on his arm. "It would be best to help him before he causes a ruckus."

"Where's the fun in that?" He grinned, and the little woman actually dared to roll her eyes. Oh, she was _fun_.

"As you say, Captain."

"Sunako?"

Kenpachi turned his attention back to the giant, only to find his attention on his subordinate.

"Sunako, is that you?"

The woman sighed. "Yes, father, it's me."

Holy shit!

Kenpachi looked from the little female to the man repeatedly, trying to find some sign of resemblance between the two.

_Their eyes_, he realized. _Their eyes are the same color._

The big man fell to his knees, tears running freely down his face. "Oh, Sunako! My little girl!"

The woman backed away as her father reached for her with one mammoth hand, her face twisted in disgust.

"Get up!" she shouted. "Have you no pride?"

"You are my pride, Sunako." He responded, getting slowly to his feet. "Without you my life has been nothing."

The look in the Fourth Seat's eyes didn't soften. "I don't care. Stop acting like a baby."

"Oi, woman," Kenpachi interjected, ignoring Yachiru as she took off - probably for more candy. "This guy's your dad?"

She bowed respectfully. "Yes, Captain."

Oh, she was gonna be so much fun.


End file.
